Hands-On With The Colorful Cuervo y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe
There is something magical about the Caribbean that has universal appeal. It’s hard to deny the colorful appeal of both the scenery and the spirit of the Caribbean. The Swiss brand with Cuban roots, Cuervo y Sobrinos, tries to capture that spirit with every watch it releases. The brand’s latest timepiece is the Buceador Caribe. It’s a colorful diver made for exploring the beautiful deep Caribbean waters. I had a chance to test the waters and find out more about the brand new Buceador Caribe.The roots of Cuervo y Sobrinos are firmly planted in Havana, Cuba. The brand was established in 1882 in the Cuban capital when it was a completely different place than it is now. As a re...
Doxa Sub 300 Carbon Divingstar Hands-On Review
When Doxa released a new Sub 300 line earlier this year, I was immediately intrigued by them. First of all, these new models came in forged carbon cases. The brand had introduced this concept to us last year with the Sub 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers. But this release was something different. These new Sub 300s have an array of colors to choose from. I got the Sub 300 Carbon Divingstar, and I must say the watch did not disappoint me at all.Aside from the “classic” Doxa colors like orange (Professional), yellow (Divingstar), black (Sharkhunter), and gray (Searambler), the lucky owners can now choose from turquoise or navy blue. While I would have loved to wear one of those for a ...
Is The Grand Seiko SBGC240 The Best Chronograph Ever? (2021)
How do you like your chronograph? Bi-compax horizontal or maybe vertical? Three-counter Speedmaster or maybe Lemania 5501 style? And what about a single subdial at 12 for the hours and minutes? The agony of choice. And to make things even more complicated, there are the various Spring Drive SBGC model chronographs from Japan with their original layout. And now there's a new version: the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC240 the chrono to end all chrono's? Let's try and find an answer to that question.Responsible for the unusual dial layout of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph SBGC240 is the Spring Drive Caliber 9R86. Seiko claims that this movement, that debuted in 2007, is by ...
Euro 2020: England Vs. Germany Lange, Smith, And More (2021)
England's Auld Enemy has gone. They've checked out. They've been dismissed in a cruel fashion. Yes, Scotland, as harsh as it seems for a team that laid it all on the line, is out of the European Championship. The Scots were a compelling competitor, led by their inspiring captain Andy Robertson, but a couple of flat performances (interjected by a towering effort against England) have put paid to their hopes of a somewhat Grecian run to the cup. But with one rival gone, another ancient foe steps into the fray…As it happens, we have a very tasty last sixteen tie lined up for tomorrow evening. That's right, England will play Germany in the last sixteen, in what promises to be an absolute r...
The Five Most Exciting NOMOS Glashutte Watches Today (2021)
You all know I’m a fan of the NOMOS Glashutte brand. I worked for the company for three years in the sales team. Thanks to NOMOS, I was able to meet hundreds of fascinating watch lovers around the Northern Hemisphere. Sharing our opinions on the watches within the catalog (and those that had sadly departed it) was something I really enjoyed.I was always resolutely honest in my assessment of the brand’s watches, even when most employers (and probably NOMOS too, at times) would prefer their staff to adopt an entirely diplomatic position regarding pieces that didn’t so much tickle their fancy. But the truth is, I disagree so strongly with that strategy I simply refused to adop...
Introducing: Oris New York Harbor Limited Edition Aquis
Oris has done it again. The “Change for the Better” mission brings us a new environmental partnership and new limited-edition Aquis. I’ve been excited about this one since I first heard that something was happening in New York regarding a new Aquis. Notably, this is a limited-edition model attached to my home turf - the United States. But now that I’ve seen the images (and will soon see the watch in person) I’m excited about Oris’s new use of mother-of-pearl in an Aquis watch. And what a dial! Though mother-of-pearl comes in a myriad of colors, in the New York Harbor Limited Edition, it’s an understated pastel green, matching the hue of the waters of...
We Talk To Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek About The MoonSwatch
It's a Thursday morning, and I am waiting in the lobby of the Swatch Group building in Biel, Switzerland. I am a few minutes early for my meeting with CEO Nick Hayek, so I have time to look around in the large lobby. On a shelf, there are brochures of every Swatch Group brand… except for Swatch. Instead, there's a little card that lets me know all watches can be seen on the Swatch website to save paper. Already here, it shows that Swatch has a certain mentality that will speak to the young generation while making other generations aware that there's a different possibility of doing things.A meeting in Nick Hayek’s officeThey don't keep me waiting long, and a few moments later, Mr...
Certina DS Chronograph Automatic 1968 Hands-On
I have a thing for vintage watches. Most of you who read my articles know that. Time-only or complicated, it does not matter to me. But, if I had to choose a favorite watch type, I'd go with chronographs. I have many different ones in my collection, but my favorite of the quirky ones is my vintage Certina Argonaut. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard the news that Certina is re-releasing the Argonaut. The new Certina DS Chronograph Automatic 1968 might not have the same name, but it has the looks.My vintage Argonaut is on the one end of the spectrum. It's the simplest and possibly the earliest version of the Argonauts. As such, it also has the first reference, 8401 001. The Ar...
The Affordable Luxury Watch Is Dying
In the wake of increasing income inequality in many countries, the sub-$4K Swiss-made watch is under threat. The middle class is not what it used to be, and some households have fallen into poverty while others have moved up on the income ladder. And that affects the middle-class watch. The richest 10% of the world’s population now owns 76% of all wealth. And to make matters worse, COVID-19 has widened wealth gaps across the globe. The Swiss watch industry as a whole won't/can’t complain since, in 2021, it exported a record US$21.5 billion in timepieces. But it's the sales of top brands like , Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet that are on the rise - the ones that serve the weal...
Introducing: The Farer Worn & Wound Limited Edition
The UK-based brand Farer is launching its very first collaboration timepiece, created with our friends over at Worn & Wound. Versatility is the name of the game here as this limited edition comes with a balanced dial and universal dimensions. Given how commonplace collaborations have become, brands need to explore new themes to create eye-catching models. I've noticed an increasing amount of everyday watches popping up on the independent market, a phenomenon welcomed by many.The Farer Worn & Wound limited edition also follows this path while highlighting the two partners’ signature visual language. Limited to 70 units, this model will retail for just over $1,000 and is availabl...
Hands-On: Hamilton Boulton Quartz
The 2023 Boulton Quartz is a watch from Hamilton's American Classic collection. Indiana Jones can be called an American classic too. The two pair up in the fifth and final adventure movie starring the whipping archeologist, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It's a movie that takes place in 1969 with, for the first time, Indy wearing a watch. And that battery-powered watch plays a golden, vintage mechanical timepiece with such ease, it deserves an Oscar. Let's take a closer look at this method-acting newcomer.The big question for many a quartz watch is: how do I come across as a mechanical timepiece? By just displaying the hours and minutes hands, it forgoes the ticking central seconds h...
Thor's GADA Watch: Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000RD-4
I’m lost trying to pick my GADA watch. It's another incredibly difficult task from the editorial team in The Hague, probably conjured up to test us non-Dutch editors to see who cracks under pressure. And it worked by giving me a panic attack for about 30 seconds (that felt longer). Any story about one favorite watch of my choosing is near impossible, regardless of whether it's the perfect “beater” (no, I don't use that term either), a party piece, or a no-holds-barred dream watch.“GADA” is a term I have never used in a story, to friends (well, mine are mostly virtual Instagram buddies), or on an IG post. Why? Because it is impossible to pick just one watch for e...
Fratello's Top 5 Recent Perpetual Calendar Watches
Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we highlighted some of the best recent Audemars Piguet releases. This week, we do not focus on a brand but on a style of watch. It’s a style that Audemars Piguet is no stranger to, by the way. We have recently seen quite a few impressive perpetual calendar watches. The complication in itself is already mechanical wizardry, but with the right aesthetics and style, we get watches that are among our favorite recent releases. Let’s find out more.Making a list of recently released perpetual calendar watches is easy. Narrowing it down to our five favorites is a lot harder, though. There are simply too many to choose from. So we added an extra c...
New: Delugs CTS Rubber Straps For Omega Speedmaster
Summer is finally here, and if you’re looking to spice up your Speedmaster this season, these new straps from Singaporean brand Delugs may just be the way to do it! The new Delugs CTS Rubber Straps are available now in 12 different colors. With curved ends, a spring-loaded clasp, and a cut-to-size construction for ultimate comfort, these straps immediately caught our eye. We wouldn’t be doing our job correctly here at Fratello if, when a new accessory for the Speedmaster is released, we didn’t get our hands on it and put it through its paces.We’re no strangers to Delugs here at Fratello. In fact, Balazs checked out the brand’s range of leather straps back in 201...
Why The Old TAG Heuer Formula 1 Watch Is The One To Ge
TAG Heuer recently released a watch that garnered quite a lot of controversy. This was the watch manufacturer’s collaboration watch with the American fashion brand Kith. The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith - or “Kith Heuer” - was controversial but not because it was in any way a bad release. In fact, in many ways, it was a piece of marketing genius. For a couple of weeks, it seemed everyone in the watch world was talking about the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith. And as they say, any publicity is good publicity.In a recent episode of Fratello On Air, my colleagues Mike and Balazs noted the global reaction to the Kith Heuer. You can listen to their thoughts on the subject here.A controver...
Watch Spotting: Topsport For Summer 2024
What if you like watches, don't like sports, but also don't want to disappoint your partner who likes watching every sporting event on television? Well, you play nice, sit on the same couch, and watch the same screen, but instead of following the game, you create your very own called Spot the Watch. You can practice your skills during the last few football matches played in Germany for the UEFA Euro 2024, improve them during the Tour de France and Wimbledon, and be at the peak of your performance during the Olympics. And if enough people worldwide play along, watch spotting might become an Olympic sport by the time the 2028 Games in Los Angeles roll around.Watch spotting during big sporting ...
The New Sinn Boutique in Frankfurt is Open!
Sinn is a brand that we really admire here on Fratello Watches. They make a lot of no nonsense watches of the tool variety for purposes ranging from diving to flying to, even, fire rescue. The styles tend to be purposeful in that German way: meaning minimalist and highly functional. We covered the latest releases here, which I think shows a good cross-section of Sinn's styles. However, one of the aspects of Sinn I enjoy most is the brand's approachability. I've mentioned before that I attended Basel as a public visitor prior to joining the Fratello crew and Sinn was one of the few brands that welcomed me into their booth and asked if there were watches I'd like to handle. If you've not been ...
Alpina Seastrong Diver Heritage Hands-On Review
Alpina Seastrong Diver HeritageAfter last year's novelties I couldn't wait to go back to Frederique Constant and Alpina and have a look at their current lineup. Again, the company (or I should say: companies) didn't cease to amaze me, the one piece stood out the most was Alpina's Seastrong Diver Heritage. Not because it was anything extraordinary or it had a deep haute horological technical background but because of pure aesthetics. Sometimes this is also enough. It has that cool vintage diver look we dig so much. I think the closest I ever felt a re-edition was a hit was when I had the chance to review the Junghans Meister Telemeter. The new watch became so true to the original it was aston...
The recently introduced Farer Manual Wind 37mm Lansdell on the wrist
Farer [?fa(a)r?(r)] means traveler. Used especially in combinations like seafarer and wayfarer, however, it’s the name of a young watch brand as well. Entering the market with a three hand watch, only back in 2016, Farer meanwhile offers a nice line of 4 different models.Following the three-handed watches, a GMT watch was introduced in 2017 (read about it here), which was followed in the same year by a compressor styled dive-watch (our review can be found here). The most recently introduced model is the Farer Manual Wind 37mm, from which we’re reviewing the Lansdell variation now.Farer Manual Wind 37mm LansdellIt’s interesting to see how form and thickness of a watch can in...
Exclusive Hands-On With New Yema Watch Superman 63
When you say Superman, most of the population see handsome Clark Kent dashing to the bathroom to don his cape. When I hear it, I see a vintage divers watch by French brand Yema. Today, Yema hits us with a re-edition of the 1963 OG with the shiny bakelite-like bezel. Enjoy it with us in an exclusive hands-on review.Months ago, I heard from the Yema communications team that a vintage-inspired skin diver was in the works. I instantly thought about early Yema Superman watches with framed lumed indexes big enough to drown in. If you don't remember them well enough, you can read Mike's piece about the LeJour-branded Yema Superman 87062 for the US market. His piece is quite unique as it came with a...